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When the 2011 Mustang GT came out, we figured that’s it, they can’t make this car any better. Boy, were we wrong. To say the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 is an improvement over the Mustang GT is like saying a Top Fuel dragster is kinda quick, or Robert De Niro is just another actor.

From the second you turn the red key and the Boss rumbles to life, you feel and hear the loapy cam idle and you know you’re in for some fun. We headed to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to see if the new Boss is as good as Ford says it is. We ran full laps around Laguna, flat out as hard as we wanted, to really get a true sense of the difference between a GT and the Boss 302.

The first laps out were recon laps, because the Boss acts nothing like a GT Mustang, and it takes a little time to get used to the tighter suspension, stickier tires, and extra power. Then the real fun begins. Mustangs have always been slightly front-end heavy, causing the car to push quite a bit during hard cornering. Ford has managed to significantly reduce the front end push, making the car feel much more balanced and increasing your confidence level exponentially.

You can head into the corners much harder now, and the front end bites and turns in quite crisply. The Boss rotates like the GT does, but without the GT’s tendency to wiggle the rear end on corner exit, unless you want it to. With the optional Torsen helical differential, when you plant your foot the Boss squats, loads the rear tires, and rockets out of the corner. It has so much low-end torque that you don’t have to do much shifting at the track. We were in third gear most of the time around Laguna, up to fourth on the front straight, and down to second around turn 11. The brakes work just fine, but we were expecting more stopping power. They never faded, but didn’t feel great.

On road it’s slightly better than a GT because of the adjustable suspension and the fantastic optional Recaro seats. You can make the ride nice and smooth for cruising down the highway by using the lowest setting, and within minutes firm it back up if you happen upon some nice twisties. The driving characteristics of the Boss are so different from the GT, it’s evident Ford build a brand-new car. This is hands-down the best Mustang Ford has ever produced.

So, what exactly did Ford do to make the new Boss such a dramatic improvement over the already capable GT, and even the GT500? Lots. The biggest changes are under the hood. Ford started with a standard 5.0-liter engine like you would find in any GT Mustang. But instead of going the easy route and just throwing a supercharger on it, Ford kept this engine au natural. And in keeping with the spirit of the original Boss, it made the new Boss a free-flowing, high-revving screamer.

To accomplish this, Ford completely redesigned the intake of the already potent 412 horsepower 5.0 liter engine. The new “runners-in-the-box” plenum/velocity stack combination was the first step. Ford also used a revised camshaft with a more aggressive grind, maintaining the same twin independent variable camshaft timing mechanisms found in the Mustang GT. In order to take full advantage of the new intake manifold, Ford CNC machined the entire intake, as well as the exhaust ports and combustion chambers of the aluminum heads. These modifications provide exceptional high-rpm airflow without sacrificing low-end torque.

Forged aluminum pistons and upgraded sinter-forged connecting rods were used for improved strength. A lightweight, high-rpm valvetrain was designed to provide power beyond the engine’s indicated redline, while a race-spec crankshaft main and rod bearings accommodate the increased load and high engine speeds. Sodium-filled exhaust valves help reduce reciprocating weight, and an oil cooler helps keep the engine’s blood from boiling. Finally, revised oil pan baffling was needed to keep the oil pumping properly during hard-cornering loads over 1.0g. The Laguna Seca edition gets a transmission scoop under the car to cool those fast-spinning gears.

The final task was making sure the new engine sounded as good as the original, so Ford created an all-new quad exhaust system. Two pipes exit in the rear, accommodating most of the exhaust gasses, just like a standard Mustang GT, but two new pipes were added almost purely for sound. The two new outlets exit to either side of the exhaust crossover, funneling exhaust through a set of metal discs that act as tuning elements. The pipes end just ahead of the rear wheel opening, and flow very little exhaust, but create a sound unlike any other Mustang. Ford calls it “exhaust surround sound.”

All of this work resulted in what Ford calls a “bulletproof and blower-free” engine pumping out 444 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque. That’s more power than a standard Mustang GT, but with a little less torque. You’ll never notice that those few pounds of torque are missing, because Ford has widened the power band, creating a linear torque curve all the way to the 7500 rpm redline.

Next, it was time to improve the suspension. The most significant change was the addition of fully adjustable shocks and struts, just like the Gabriel shocks on the original Boss 302. There are five different settings, with one being the softest, two the factory setting, and five the firmest. The adjustment screws are on the top of the shock tower found under the hood and in the trunk. The new shocks give the Boss a slight rake, lowered in the front by 0.4 inches and in the rear by 0.04 inches.

To keep up with the suspension changes, Ford retuned the speed-sensitive electronic steering system to improve feedback and driver feel. You can adjust the steering to your liking by selecting one of three settings — comfort, normal, or sport — through the instrument cluster menu. The Boss receives unique traction and stability settings in order to optimize street or track performance. Like the steering, there are three different settings: all systems on, all systems off, or the intermediate sport setting. The last setting lets you drive more aggressively before the TCS and ESC systems kick in.

When you give a car more power and increased handling capabilities, you have to make sure the vehicle can get the most out of its enhancements. To keep the Boss firmly planted, Ford used lightweight alloy racing wheels to reduce a little of that unsprung weight. Ford staggered the widths, with 9 inches up front and 9.5 inches out back, then wrapped them in Pirelli PZero summers, 255/40ZR-19 for the front, 285/35ZR-19 in the back. The Laguna Seca edition gets 9-inch fronts and 10-inch rears wrapped in Pirelli Corsa R-compound 255/40R-19, 285/35R-19 respectively.

To make sure the Boss will stop, Ford used the same brake system found on the Mustang GT with the optional Track Package: 14-inch Brembo four-piston front calipers, stock 11.8-inch rear. But the Boss gets high-performance brake pads and vented brake shields. To help with brake feel and provide repeatable fade-free stops, the Boss gets reinforced brake lines that expand 30-40 percent less than the GT’s. As a result, Ford claims the Boss needs 3 less feet to come to a halt from 60 mph.

Inside, not much has changed, but what has is significant. The optional Recaro seats are an absolute must, even if you don’t plan on doing any track days, because they are just so comfortable. And if you do hit the track, these seats will keep you from sliding around while under hard cornering. The Recaros are standard in the Laguna Seca, and while the rear seat is deleted and replaced with an X-brace for added rigidity. There is also a Boss-specific black shift knob, dark aluminum instrument panel, and door scuff plates.

The new Boss comes with not one, but two keys, one with a silver Boss logo and the other with a red Boss logo. Both get the job done, but the red key gives you something extra. Named Trackey, this special key adds TracMode powertrain control software to the car for track use, providing full race calibration and two-stage launch control in addition to stock calibration, without compromising factory warranty. It changes 300 parameters of the engine calibration, optimizing all the Boss’ potential.

The exterior styling changes are subtle yet uniquely Boss. The front fascia and grille have been modified; the fog-lamp openings have been blocked off; and a new lower splitter finishes off the Boss’s new nose. The Laguna Seca edition gets you an even bigger front splitter, brake-cooling ducts, and different rear wing.

Each car will have a black or white roof panel, coordinated to the side C-stripe. Available colors are Competition Orange, Performance White, Kona Blue Metallic, Yellow Blaze Tri-Coat Metallic, and Race Red. The Laguna Seca edition gets unique livery — Black or Silver Ingot paint with a red Boss C-stripe and red roof.

The Boss 302 and Boss 302 Laguna Seca are absolutely amazing machines and we tip our hats to Ford for not simply wimping out with a sticker and wing package. So who’s next? That’s a good question, because while the new Camaro ZL1 has dramatically improved suspension and 550 horsepower, we don’t think it stands a chance against this Boss on a race track. But we look forward to finding out…

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